Happiness/Compliments

First here are some meanings that define happiness: cheerful, merry, joyful, in good spirits, good mood, pleased, contented, satisfied, sunny, thankfully, elated and more.

Today or this week, what made you happy? Did you share your happiness with someone?

A college professor was discussing happiness. One of his interviews was with a farmer. The farmer had given up his CEO position and moved to a farm which he purchased. The farmer was 45 years old. His comment was “this is the happiest I have ever been.” He talked about the joy he had every time something grew in his garden, watching the cows give milk, see how mother nature produce our food from rain and sun. He said although he enjoyed going to the city on occasions, his greatest joy was returning to the farm.

I could relate to the happiness the farmer was feeling. When I retired and resigned my counseling job after working 25 years, I retired in 2007. I had major thoughts about how I was going to survive without all that extra money and nice paycheck. Once I figured out how to tighten my belt and do without the luxuries that the extra money allowed me to have, and what will I do with the rest of my life without all those goodies money could afford me the happiness I thought I had, I viewed all the books in my house and also what I did on a daily basis.

The following two things always brought me joy and contentment, which is writing and sharing information.

Contentment: reading mysteries. Every evening, I’m in my bed at 8: p.m. reading something. I honestly do not know what I would do without a book to read. I have a television set which I use to watch either foreign news while eating during my lunch hour, or the classical arts station enjoying the symphonies. I also listen to KGO, the talk show. I never thought I would stop listening to KBLX.

I go to the movies every Sunday, which is my therapy and pleasure. When I use the term therapy, the movie takes me out of my busy zone mentally. I do a lot of writing and teaching during the week, so the brain needs a rest. My kind of movies is shooting up bang bangs. The Bruce Willis, Jason Stratham, 007 type movies.

Compliments: Did you give a compliment today? Individuals, managers, CEOs, parents, neighbors and friends do not realize compliments can affect their career and self-esteem. With a career, if you continue to work on a job and never receive compliments about work performances, then you do not feel as if you want to either stay on the job and/or have no self-worth.

Give your friends and children compliments if they warrant it. It will put a smile on their face. I give compliments freely because my self-esteem is intact. Your self-esteem is an indicator what you can give away in terms of compliments. If you feel good, you share good words. I feels good. What was your mood today?

Mary Midgett is the author of “New York Flavor with a San Francisco Beat.” The San Francisco resident is available to do presentations and seminars on social and family negotiations.

Although I have not updated my Yahoo site recently, please enjoy the information that is available. The change of new information is coming. The immediate information now is called “Host for Older Women. Aging issues.”